This invention is concerned with a section of a glassware forming machine of the individual section type comprising a supporting frame which serves to support a mould arrangement operable to form gobs of molten glass received by the section into parisons, and a further mould arrangement operable to form parisons formed by the first-mentioned mould arrangement into articles of glassware, the supporting frame comprising vertically-extending walls and a horizontally-extending table supported by the walls and serving to support mould portion supporting arms of at least one of the mould arrangements, which arms are movable to open and close a mould of the mould arrangement in the operation of the section, the section also comprising drive means associated with the mould arrangement and operable to move the supporting arms of its associated mould arrangement as aforesaid, the drive means comprising two vertically-extending drive shafts each mounted on the frame for turning movement about a vertical axis thereof, link means linking each shaft to an associated one of the supporting arms so that, when the shaft is turned about its vertical axis, the supporting arm is moved to open or close the mould, connecting means connecting the shafts so that the shafts turn together about their respective axes through equal angles, and motor means operable to turn the shafts about their respective axes to move the supporting arms as aforesaid.
In a glassware forming machine of the individual section type, a number of sections each of which forms a glassware forming unit are arranged side-by-side to receive gobs of molten glass from a gob distributor which supplies gobs to each section in turn. The sections operate to form the gobs into articles of glassware which are fed to a common conveyor.
In a conventional section of a glassware forming machine of the individual section type, the supporting frame of the section comprises four vertically-extending walls forming a box-like structure and a horizontally-extending table which is integral with the walls. The supporting frames of the sections of the glassware forming machine are arranged side-by-side in close proximity to one another on a common base plate to which bottom portions of the walls are secured. The table has various apertures therethrough in which operating mechanisms of the section are mounted. Each of the mould arrangements of the section comprises a carrier member which is removably mounted on top of the table above two circular apertures therein. The carrier member comprises a vertically projectihg shaft on which two mould portion supporting arms of the mould arrangement are pivotally mounted form movement in opposite directions to open and close moulds formed by mould portions mounted on the mould portion supporting arms. The carrier member also provides bearings in which two vertically-extending drive shafts are mounted which form part of drive means for causing the mould portion supporting arms to move to open and close the moulds. Each drive shaft is connected by link means to an associated one of the supporting arms so that, when the shaft is turned about its vertical axis, the supporting arm is moved to open or close a mould. Each drive shaft projects downwardly through one of the apertures in the table over which the carrier member is mounted and has a splined lower end portion which is received in a complementary recess of a link member which is pivotally mounted on the base plate of the machine. The two link members are connected by further links to a lever of the drive means which is pivotally mounted on the base plate for movement about a vertical axis. This lever is also pivotally connected to the piston of a pneumatic piston and cylinder assembly mounted on the base plate. The piston and cylinder assembly forms motor means operable to cause the lever to turn about its vertical axis which in turn causes the link members to pivot and the drive shafts to turn about their vertical axes so that the mould portion supporting arms are moved. Because of the necessity to provide high mould-closing forces, the cylinder of the piston and cylinder assembly is of large diameter.
In a conventional section as described in the last preceding paragraph, those portions of the mould arrangements which are located above the table or which project through apertures in the table and are not firmly connected to members below the table can readily be removed for maintenance and/or replacement; this includes the drive shafts which can be lifted vertically out of the link members since their splined portion can be removed from the complementary recess. However, those portions of the mould arrangement which are located on the base plate are inaccessible being substantially surrounded by the walls of the supporting frame and covered by the table thereof. Thus, should a fault occur in the piston and cylinder assembly mounted on the base plate, it is necessary to close down the section of the machine concerned, and in many cases adjacent sections also, to enable the frame to be removed from the base plate to provide access to the piston and cylinder assembly. This results in considerable loss of production.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a section of a glassware forming machine of the individual section type in which the motor means of the drive means of the mould arrangement are more readily accessible than in a conventional section.